Hurdler takes a stunning 400m victory over the European champion, while Matt McKenna breaks the British under-20 800m record and Joy Eze takes her chance at EAP International.
Youth was at the forefront at the scottishathletics EAP International in Glasgow on Saturday (January 31) as several emerging athletes took their chance to come to the fore against more established names at the Emirates Arena.
Nowhere was this better illustrated than in the men’s 400 metres, when 21-year-old Jake Minshull defeated former world indoor champion and current European champion Alexander Doom.
The Coventry Godiva athlete got just the fast start he was looking for and, despite a late attack from the Belgian, who suffered an injury last year but was returning to the scene of his 2024 World Indoor triumph, came first to the line to win by 0.11 in a time of 46.51, beating a second off his indoor personal best.
No wonder the 400m hurdler who finished fifth at last year’s European Under-23 Championships was delighted with a night’s work which prepares him perfectly for the UK Indoor Championships later this month.
“When I first saw [who was in] “After the race, I thought, ‘Oh God, I don’t know if I want to do this,'” Minshull said. “But then I started thinking, ‘I’m going to chase him, I want to beat him. If I can get that scalp, what better way to start the year?’
“I got to 100 meters into the race and thought, ‘I’m right behind him. Should I go?’ So I tried it and then I just tried to hold on. I’m new to the indoor 400m, but so far so good. That’s a great way to start the season. “We have the British indoor champions and, outside of that time, I want to go there to win.”
There was also a surprise in the women’s 400m as Louisa Stoney continued her good start to the year by finishing fastest in all three heats, winning the final race in a personal best of 52.08, ahead of Portugal’s Sofia Lavreshina in 52.19. Olympic and world 4x400m relay medalist Laviai Nielsen, who returned to the track after taking a break from the sport last summer, was third overall after winning the first heat in 52.37.
For Stoney, his time was just a fraction of the Commonwealth Games qualifying time as he eyes a place on the Welsh team bound for Glasgow this summer.
“I was definitely looking for a PB,” the 24-year-old said. “Now I’m going to push for 51 seconds, but I can’t complain. I want to get it.” [qualifying] time. I know it’s there. [Having the Commonwealth Games] Aspiring is really motivating. “I’m hungry and motivated to push myself every day.”
Matt McKenna is clearly lacking for inspiration too, and the 18-year-old was in record-breaking form, producing a time of 1:48.20 to surpass David Sharpe’s 40-year-old British indoor U20 mark of 1:48.53 from 1986.
The European under-18 champion finished second to David Race (1:47.66) in the first of two heats in Glasgow, with Race fastest overall. McKenna’s performance pushed Guy Learmonth’s 1:48.58 from 2011 into third place on the British U20 list and the Scot, on his way back at the age of 33 as he bids to qualify for the Commonwealth Games, has work to do having run 1:51.01.
Sale Harriers’ Lucy Armitage came out on top in the women’s 800m with her PB run of 2:02.55 in the second heat, with Emily Simpson (2:02.66) second fastest and 17-year-old Shaikira King completing the podium in 2:04.44.
Another young athlete who enjoyed a big win was Joy Eze who took honors in the women’s 60 metres, the former European under-20 champion winning a close battle with Jasmine Wilkins by just 0.01 in a time of 7.26.
“I was a little disappointed with the weather, but I’m happy I had a good race and the times are coming,” said the 21-year-old. “My start in the series wasn’t very good so I said to myself: ‘Forget about it, it’s another race.’ I’m excited [about the UK Indoor Championships]. The races I’ve had so far have been preparation races, so I’m excited to see what I can do.”
The men’s 60m competition was even closer, with Ireland’s Toluwabori Akinola taking the photo finish victory after he and Hungary’s Dominik Illovszky clocked 6.59. European indoor bronze medalist Andrew Robertson was third in 6.70.
Complete EAP International results here
